Life

It's Official: Inaugural IRONMAN Boulder Announced

The newest addition to the IRONMAN circuit will take place on Sunday, August 3, 2014.

There’s a saying in the triathlon world: "Boulder is the new San Diego." For all that the mountain town has to offer triathletes, today’s announcement of the new IRONMAN Boulder is the cherry on top.

As the 10th full-distance IRONMAN in the U.S., Boulder demonstrates IRONMAN’s continued growth in a region where health and fitness are as integral to the culture as playing outside. Registration will open at noon EST Wednesday, July 17.

"The city is already buzzing about the event," says race director Dave Christen, who directed IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder last year. A triathlete himself, Christen moved to Colorado as soon as he could after college. (See below for some of the buzz we followed this week on Twitter.)

The picturesque college town has attracted countless pro triathletes with its blend of wide-open mountain roads, trail running and world-class coaches. Many Australian and European pros relocate to what some have dubbed "Pro Town" for half the year to take advantage of the altitude and prime training—IRONMAN world champions Craig Alexander and Mirinda Carfrae among them. Centrally located in the foothills of Colorado's Rocky Mountains just 35 minutes northwest of Denver, Boulder sits 5,430 feet above sea level and enjoys 300-plus days of sunshine a year.

As if pros and scenery weren’t enough, two IRONMAN partners—TrainingPeaks and Newton Running—also make their home in Boulder. Triathlon’s roots run deep here and, next August, thousands of IRONMAN athletes will be able to experience it for themselves.

IRONMAN Boulder will take place on Sunday, August 3, 2014. Athletes will swim a single 2.4-mile loop in Boulder Reservoir. After transitioning to the bike, they’ll set out for a single-loop, 112-mile ride that heads north of Boulder to Carter Lake. The course will finish up over the flat and fast eastern roads outside of the Front Range. The second transition will take place at Boulder High School, just two blocks from downtown Boulder. Athletes will complete two loops, staged entirely on the Boulder Creek Trail, and finish on Pearl Street, with its vibe that's part urban energy and part mountain town.

Note: IRONMAN Boulder will be part of the 2014 Boulder Tri Series, which also includes the 2014 IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder (June 15), and the Boulder Peak Triathlon (July 13). Registration for the 2014 Boulder Tri Series will only be available from Tuesday, July 16 at 9 a.m. EST. until Wednesday, July 17th at 9 a.m. EST. We will have a limited number of 2014 Boulder Tri Series entries. For more information on registration, click here.

Here's what's been bouncing around the twitterverse about the big news:

@IronmanTri Ironman is coming to Boulder, CO August 3, 2014. Is this True?wow can't wait #awesome venue will be one tuff day